The /New Times/ unveils Kinyarwanda newspaper

BY GASHEEGU MURAMILA The New Times Publications Sarl yesterday launched its maiden edition of Izuba, a sister Kinyarwanda newspaper. The bi-weekly vernacular paper immediately started to report news from across the country. Izuba (the Sun in Kinyarwanda) will be running every Thursday and Monday. The Managing Director of The New Times, Ignatius Kabagambe, said the new paper yesterday distributed 3,000 copies, and expressed optimism that the number would soon increase to over 10,000. He said the paper will gradually increase its frequency from bi-weekly to tri-weekly and eventually to daily. He said the paper would reach more Rwandans than The New Times, since it is in Kinyarwanda. “This is a paper designed to reach millions of people who can neither speak nor write English, it will have more outlets than what The New Times currently has, and we intend to double the number of its distributors,” Kabagambesaid. “We are promising quality service to our readers they will get the right package. It’s a paper for the people,” he said. The MD said that the team paper has a team of competent journalists as well as salespersons. The newspaper’s Editor is Joseph Gaga, a veteran journalist who served as a journalist at The New Times in the early days of the now daily publication. Until his new job at Izuba, Gaga was the Public Relations Officer of Kigali Institute of Education. On his part, Gaga said that the new paper will be covering a variety of issues ranging socio-economic to political news and features. He said apart from informing the public, the paper will also serve as an educative and entertainment forum. It was all excitement on the streets as the paper’s distributors dished out to the 3000 copies of the first edition free of charge. “The paper’s face and general layout is attractive,” said a newspaper vendor. Added Joseph Kanyangoga, a taxi driver: “This is the first time I’m seeing a vernacular paper of this kind with such coverage of news and sports and a wonderful design.” Ends

National

The /New Times/ unveils Kinyarwanda newspaper